Presentation of Tajikistan

Full name: Republic of Tajikistan
Location: Central Asia
Status: Internationally recognized independent state since 9 September
1991, a member of the UN and the CIS.
Notes: Tajikistan, formerly the Tadzhik SSR, was one of the last states
to break with the collapsing USSR and also one of the last to hoist a post-Communist
flag. Russian (and Communist) influence remains strong, largely due to
the fact that the government needs Russian support in the sporadically
continuing civil war against Islamic fundamentalists, who are mainly based
in the south of the country.
Stuart Notholt, 25 November 1995

State flag and construction sheet

by Željko Heimer

From Tajikistan embassy in US http://www.tjus.org/State1.htm:
The state flag of the Republic of Tajikistan represents a right-angled
panel consisting from three colored stripes located horizontal: the top
stripe - red color and equal to it on width the bottom stripe of green
color, the average white stripe, making one and a half width of dense
stripes. On a white stripe, at the distance of half of length of a panel
from a flagstaff, there is a stylized gold crown and a semicircle from
seven stars above it. The attitude of the general width of a flag to
length is 1:2. The crown and a star are entered in a rectangle, the
sides of which on a vertical make 0,8 and across 1,0 width of a white
stripe. Five-pointed stars are entered in a circle with diameter 0,15
and settle down on an arch radius of 0,5 width of a white stripe. There
are three colors on a flag of the Republic of Tajikistan: green, red and
white. A green stripe are valleys, they are not enough in republic - 7 %
of territory. Because the rest of the territory is occupied by
mountains. The white stripe is a color of the main richness of republic
- cotton and also the color of snow and ice in high mountains. The red
color is a color of unification of republic and brotherhood with other
nations of the world.Gvido Petersons, 22 April 2004

This accords with an official "Description of the State Emblem and Flag of
the Republic of Tajikistan" which accompanied the Law of 24 November 1992
with the exception of the width of the white stripe.
Christopher Southworth, 22 April 2004

The album gives the stripe widths as 257+386+257:(900+900), which
matches fairly well with the 1.5 description since 257*1.5=385.5
Željko Heimer, 22 April 2004

by Željko Heimer and António Martins-Tuválkin

Image of the flag with the crown errouneously taken from the armes,
(while officially it is different when represented in the flag)

The protocol manual for the London 2012 Olympics (Flags and Anthems Manual London 2012 ) provides recommendations for national
flag designs. Each NOC was sent an image of the flag, including the PMS shades, for their approval by LOCOG. Once this was obtained, LOCOG produced a 60 x 90 cm
version of the flag for further approval. So, while these specs may not be the official, government, version of each flag, they are certainly what the NOC believed
the flag to be.
For Tadjikistan: PMS 192 red, 109 yellow, 355 green. The vertical flag is simply the horizontal version turned 90 degrees clockwise
Ian Sumner, 11 October 2012

Explanation of flag

The flag of the Tadzhik SSR was, unsurprisingly, red, with two horizontal stripes of white over green. The white symbolized cotton production, the basis of Tajikistani agriculture, and the green was for other agricultural produce. The Tajikistan flag continues this tradition, being a red over white over green tricolour. On the white stripe is a golden crown surmounted by seven stars. (I do not know the significance of this emblem).Stuart Notholt 25 November 1995

The colours are the same as the Iranian flag (albeit in reverse order), and the Tajiks are the only one of the former Soviet Central Asian nationalities who speak a Persian-related language than a Turkic one. Could this choice of colours be deliberate - and if so was the Tajik SSR flag similarly inspired? (I'd love to know how they got it past the Communists!)Roy Stilling, 26 November 1995

I have found images of two versions of Tajik flag, differing only in small detail at the top of the crown. I have few pictures showing the top as oval, and few having the wings downwards. I am not sure which is right.Željko Heimer 07 February 1996

Quoted from the Encyclopenia Americana article on flags (written by W. Smith) "The republic's flag was adopted in 1992 and the red, white and green stripes recall the flag of Iran, a nation which Tajikistan has close ethnic ties. The stylized crown and seven stars at the flags center represent Tajikistan's sovereignty, friendship between all nationalities, and the union of workers, peasants and the intellectual classes."

The above doesn't explain why they chose seven stars. Crowns are used by several European countires to represent sovereignty (Poland, Austria, etc.). The red, white green was also used in their republic flag before the fall of the USSR.
Nathan Augustine

There are seven districts in the country. Each star stands for one.
Sergey Petrov, 31 January 2003

Znamierowski further mentions that in the traditional Tajik culture, the magic number seven is a symbol of perfection and the emblem of happiness as the source of virtue. According to a Tajik legend, the paradise is made of seven beautiful orchards separated from each other by seven mountains, each of the mountains being a surmonted by a bright star. Red is the symbol of sun and victory; white represents purity, cotton and snow on the mountains and green symbolizes the spiritual meaning of Islam and generosity of the nature.
Ivan Sache, 1 February 2003

The Iranian peoples include Persians (who dominate what was once known as
Persia, or Pars/Fars, and now known as Iran), as well as
peoples such as the
Kurds, Baloch and Tajik. In terms of language, though, Tajik
is a classical
version of Persian and shares immense similarities with Dari
and Persian.
Hence, perhaps the color choice was a nod towards their
common Iranian heritage.
I believe Kurds use similar colors, in a similar tri-color
format. The use
of red, green and white is furthermore very common throughout
the Muslim
world, with blue being the mark of many Turkic peoples
(though the Tajiks
are the only post-Soviet Muslim state to be non-Turkic.)
Haroon Moghul, 30 June 2004

The word 'tojik', which is the root of the countries name 'Tojikiston' comes
from the Persian word 'toj' meaning a 'crown'. Tojik, therefore, means the person that wears a crown. I am not a
historian so I do not know too many details. However from what I have heard, the Tojik nation comes from a group of a
very well-known warriors (at that time) that wore crowns. Hence, they were called 'Tojikon' (Tajiks in English).
Dorgabekova D., 18 July 2003

The word "Taj" does mean crown (and is used of a particular kind of fez), but I am unconvinced
that this is the root of the word "Tajik."
According to information posted at http://89.1911encyclopedia.org/T/TA/TAJIK.htm (almost certainly from the
1911 "Scholar's Edition" of the Encyclopaedia Britannica), the word means
"Stranger" and applies to a population spread across Tajikistan and large
parts of Afghanistan and into Uzbekistan and other parts of central
Asia. They speak Persian (this is diagnostic) and ethnically are mostly
Persian with some Arab and other ethnic influences mixed in.
John Ayer, 19 July 2003

Anyway, the explanation may also be a "post festum" one - this would
not be so unusual either, but even such interpretation would be of
interest to us.
Željko Heimer, 19 July 2003

After http://www.president.tj/rus/novostee_141106.htm (automatic translation from russian):
Correspondence with the Law of Republic Tajikistan "About the symbols of the President of Republic Tajikistan",
accepted during July of the present year, standard and sign of the President of republic Tajikistan is today prepared
and on 18 November in the course of official ceremony the inaugurations and the adoption of oath that newly chosen as
the Head of The State Emomali Rakhmonov in the history of independent Tajikistan will be for the first time put
into operation. The sign of the President of Republic Tadzhikistan during that day for the first time will be entrusted
publicly chosen to the Head of The State Of Emomali Rakhmonov.

The standard of the President of Republic Tadzhikistan and sign of the President of Republic Tajikistan are the official
symbols of presidential authority in the Republic Tajikistan. The standard of the President of Republic the Tajikistan -
rectangular field, which consists of three horizontally located colored strips, which correspond on the color and the width
to the national flag of Republic Tajikistan. The bordering of standard is equal to 50 mm, it is embroidered by the gold
threads of manual work and it is decorated with fringe. The relationship of width to the length of the standard is equal
to 1:2.
In the center of standard is depicted "Dirafshi Koviyen", which is the symbol of longevity and historical continuity of
national statehood. In the upper part "Dirafshi Koviyen" represented the spear, which symbolizes will and force of
authority for the protection of the fatherland. Quadrilateral part "Dirafshi Koviyen" - four sides of light, which
symbolize friendly relations, friendship and collaboration with countries and peoples of peace. Inside "Dirafshi Koviyen"
around the sun they are located four twisted branches, which symbolize the eternity of the motion of time, the earth also
of other planets around the sun, and express happiness, unity, prosperity and progress of the country. In the center
"Dirafshi Koviyen" it is depicted winged lion against the background of blue sky, that symbolizes force, power and glory of
state. Above the image of winged lion are located crown even seven stars, which are the basis of the state coat of arms
of Republic Tajikistan. "Dirafshi Koviyen" it embroiders by the gold threads of manual work from two sides of standard.
The relationship of sizes "Dirafshi Koviyen" to the standard it composes 3:5. To the upper part of the pole of standard is
fastened gold clamp with those engraved by surname, name and patronymic of the President of Republic Tajikistan, with the
indication of his period of the constitutional authority. The tip of the pole of standard has a form of gold cupola"
Jordi Perez Ibañez, 17 November 2006

I managed to locate a detailed photo of the central emblem of the
Tajikistan presidential standard at
http://www.migration.tj/public/userfiles/baner/MT7Y9501.JPG. From what
I notice, this does not use the lion from the former coat of arms but
uses a winged lion. I am still
trying to figure out how to draw the lion, but I managed to get everything else close to what the standard image looks like. Attached
is my attempt at drawing this standard (using the lion by Zoltan Horvath). [see above]
Zachary Harden, 14 May 2012

I have found two different COA in the past, one is sun ray and same symbol as national flag surrounded by wreath inside a lion another is similar COA without a lion.

Which one is used actually/formally?Nozomi Kariyasu

The coat of arms with a lion was used from November 1992 till December 1993.Nikolay A. Khimenkov, 15 March 1999

The date of adoption of "Law about State COA of Tajikistan Republic" is 28th December 1993.Michael B. Simakov, 16 March 1999

Tajikistan 1991-1992

by Joan-Francés Blanc

Before the design of the new flag, Tajikistan used the former soviet colours without the communist symbols.Joan-Francés Blanc 13 November 1996

Also, I seem to recall that for a while after independence, Tajikistan was still using the old Tajik SSR flag, complete with hammer & sickle. I remember that that flag was used in a 1993 almananac for the country. Does anyone know if that was ever officially recognized by the Dushanbe govt. as the flag of independent Tajikistan, or was it sort of a "default" flag, the govt. being too busy fighting various civil wars to officially make a new one? Did the Tajik hammer-and-sickle-and-green-stripe ever fly over, a Tajik embassy in another country, or at the U.N.?
Josh Fruhlinger 13 November 1996

Islamic Movement in Tajikistan

Aircraft marking

[c2e98] show a "suggested" marking as green star bordered with white wnd
thin red and charged with "Taj" in Arabic letters, and this one (with the
red outline} appear at http://www.combataircraft.com/operators/ti.asp , but
I suspect that it probably based on [c2e98] and not on actual report....
Dov Gutterman, 25 June 2004

Badakhshan

Badakhshan (in farsi: Badakhshon) is officially part of Tajikistan but in fact it is autonomous region because of mountainous passes which are opened for a short time during a year. The inhabitants of Badakhshon are dozens of peoples of Dard group (like Kashmiri in India and some smaller ethnic groups in Afghanistan). All of them were called in Soviet era Pamiri Tajiks but Tajiks don't understand they languages at all. They are they are Ismaelites and in opposition to Sunni Tajiks. A lot of Tajik and Pamiri peoples warlords based here. They are in war with central Tajik communist government but not with local authorities. The only real authority for all of them is the spiritual leader of Ismaelites Aga-khan IV who use to visit the region and bring food and other humanitarian help for all inhabitants. I Just this year I saw on TV flag of one warlord - it was Tajik-like but with some text in farsi upon middle stripe. I can't read this language and had no time to copy it.
Sakajev Airat, 24 February 1997

Badakhshon is an autonomous region of the country but is ruled by the
central government in Dushanbe (not by warlords). The
inhabitants are, indeed, called Pamiris, which comes from the
name of the Pamir Mountains (the highest mountains in the
former Soviet Union). The language also comes from the
Iranian groups of languages. However it is an Eastern Persian
language as opposed to Farsi, which is a western Persian.
Unfortunately, the attempts to create an official alphabet
for the languages were unsuccessful. Therefore, it does not
have a written form and is only spoken among the population
of the region.
The religion in this part is Islam, however a different
branch of Islam known as Ismaili Shiites. It impostant to
note that this religion is not opposed to the Sunni religion
(as put by Sakajev Airat) but always has and still is
coexisting with the Sunni religion professed by the
population of the other parts of Tajikistan. True, that
during the war some opposition groups were based within the
region, however it has never been 'at war' with the central
government.
And the region does not have a separate flag that is different from the National flag.
Dorgabekova D., 18 July 2003

by Jaume Ollé 24-FEB-2007

In a photo take in Khorog, capital of Gorno Badakshan, in a computer
room, we can see three flags on the wall: the US flag, the state flag, and
other unknown flag: white with red stripe at bottom, and gold emblem in
center of the white.
Jaume Ollé 24 February 2007